Chapter 47
Chapter 47:
Helena breathed a sigh of relief, albeit a quiet one.
The way Neville invaded her personal space made her deeply uncomfortable. It might have been her aversion to intimacy flaring up.
She expressed her gratitude to Neville for his support, then quickly immersed herself in her notes.
Betsey observed Neville’s fake smile and couldn’t suppress a sneer. She was aware that Neville had his eyes on Helena.
To Betsey, Neville was no different from Laurence, the deputy manager—ostensibly virtuous but sleazy at heart, preying on newly promoted female anchors and banking on their fear of jeopardizing their careers to stay silent.
Betsey was somewhat relieved that Neville had made his move before she had to intervene.
As expected, after his initial attempt failed, Neville persisted in trying to catch Helena’s attention. He began leaving small tokens, like throat lozenges, on Helena’s desk and would occasionally treat the female staff to afternoon tea, always ensuring Helena’s portion was the most lavish.
Yet, Helena declined all his advances, consistently passing on any gifts from Neville to her colleagues.
Neville didn’t stop there; he began to text and call Helena, always claiming it was to help her prepare for the exam.
Soon enough, even Dominick sensed that something was amiss. He cautiously approached Helena, warning her, “Helena, just so you know, Neville barely scraped through his anchor exam. Don’t be deceived by his act p>
Helena was well aware of Neville’s glaring lack of competence. He failed to provide satisfactory answers to any substantive professional inquiries. Yet, Neville was the male anchor on the Nine O’clock News—exactly where the only vacancy for a female news anchor existed. She preferred not to sour their work relationship, fearing it would make co-anchoring a dreadful experience.
Thus, at work, Helena remained vigilant, skillfully navigating Neville’s advances.
Only when she returned home did she feel able to unwind. Recently, Alden had started arriving home earlier than usual. He instinctively took over the household duties without needing Helena to ask.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 g⍺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘴﹐ⅽ𝗈𝗺
Initially, Helena found herself blushing whenever Alden handled her laundry, particularly her undergarments. However, Alden’s straightforward approach soon made such moments feel routine, as if they were a long-established couple. This new arrangement quickly became the norm for Helena.
Alden’s assistance around the house also freed up her time significantly, allowing her to focus more on studying for her upcoming exam. Even the evening meal tonight—a delightful spaghetti dinner—was prepared by Alden.
After dinner, Helena said with a smile, “I’ll take care of the dishes tonight p>
She thought about rearranging the household chores after the exam and finding a special way to thank Alden for his help. A playful glint appeared in her eyes, and her smile took on a teasing quality.
In response, Alden gave a simple nod and quietly agreed. “Alright p>
However, Helena felt a twinge of disappointment; Alden had been unusually quiet lately. He no longer engaged in their usual banter. Perhaps the kiss they shared was still weighing on him, causing him to maintain a distance.
Alden’s thoughts drifted to the recent advice from a psychologist. A prominent psychologist had confirmed that Valeria’s approach to exposure therapy was valid. But for the therapy to be effective, Helena had to be comfortable with that man’s physical proximity.
It appeared that the individual who could be close to Helena without causing her discomfort had already emerged. Was it Dominick, the man he had observed in the parking lot?
Engrossed in their thoughts, they finished their spaghetti in silence. Helena quickly picked up the dishes without looking up and headed to the kitchen to wash them.
As she prepared to start washing, her phone lit up with another message from Neville.
He mentioned he had emailed her some study materials, yet when Helena accessed the file, it turned out to be mostly unreadable due to corruption. Without a second thought, she promptly deleted it.
However, it wasn’t long before Neville called her.
With her hands still damp, Helena ignored the call, silently willing him to disconnect.
Unexpectedly, Alden slipped his hand into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Feeling his body close against hers as he answered the call, Helena was too shocked to react.
Alden had swiftly taken the call and now held the phone next to Helena’s ear.
“You know you can always come to me with any questions,” Neville replied, amiable as usual.
Helena reached her breaking point. “Mr. Gray, I prefer not to discuss work outside office hours. Your persistence feels like harassment.” This direct refusal left Neville speechless for a moment, unaccustomed to such blunt rejection.
“Harassment? I was merely trying to assist you. But I’ll leave you be if you’re occupied,” he replied.
Helena seethed silently—Neville was too annoying!
She inhaled deeply, searching for the right words to continue. However, before she could speak further, the phone was moved away from her.
From behind her, Alden’s calm, assertive voice filled the air. “My wife is preparing for a shower. We’re quite occupied at the moment p>